Get Involved Stories

Keeva and James Stand Up to Cancer

Keeva and James – two children from the same town – were diagnosed with cancer within just two months of each other. Their families, friends and community wanted to do something to give back to those who had helped them:

Grateful families

After months of fundraising and hard work, almost £20,000 has been raised for Children with Cancer UK. Keeva and James’ families wanted to support both the hospital that helped their children and other children out there who are suffering from cancer

Keeva and James Stand Up to Cancer involved all sorts of fundraising activities over the past year. Some of these have included bake sales, runs, haircuts, bike rides.

Hot buffet, live band and DJ

The fundraising culminated in a fantastic evening of celebrations held at the Bushey Academy on November 21st, featuring a live band, a DJ and a hot buffet. There was also an auction hosted by the fantastic Jonty Herndonincluding many fabulous prizes such as football tickets, signed memorabilia from sporting greats and designer watches.

In total almost £20,000 has been raised for Children with Cancer UK, with the same sum being donated to Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Such a significant sum will help pay for life-saving research into the causes, treatments and prevention of childhood cancer. It will help other children, like Keeva and James, overcome cancer.

Keeva Hanbury

Keeva was just three years old when she was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of soft tissue tumour. She had developed a painless lump at the top of her left thigh. Thankfully Keeva received a prompt diagnosis and was quickly referred to hospital in London.

After a gruelling programme of treatment, including proton beam therapy in Jacksonville, Florida, Keeva is now doing well.

James Kelly

James was also only three years old when his family was told he had a Wilms tumour, a cancer of the kidney. He too was quickly sent to a hospital in London, where he received chemotherapy and surgery to remove one kidney.

Thank you!

Children with Cancer UK would like to offer their heartfelt thanks to everyone involved with Keeva and James Stand Up to Cancer. So much hard work has been put in by so many.

Particular thanks go to Keeva’s parents, Thomas and Andrea Hanbury; to her aunt and uncle, Paul and Sheila Murphy; and to James’s parents, Mark and Deborah Kelly. They made this incredible achievement possible.

Thanks also to the wonderful photographer, Simon Roberts, who very generously gave up his time for free to support Keeva and James.